The Light of Lanterns
by KillingKathy
Summary: After the Ferris Wheel, Touya persuades N to go to a festival. [The moon was bright silver above them, reflecting off the glass water and throwing shards of dancing light into N's eyes. The superseding silence wrapped them in inexplicable comfort, and to his horror, Touya felt another lump rise in his throat.]


"I'm the leader of Team Plasma," N admits, clasping his hands above his knees and tilting his head ever-so-slightly, staring into Touya's eyes. "I just thought you deserved to know." He shifts his gaze now, just above the steel bar of the ferris wheel, to the sparking scenery of Nimbasa, sprawling out below their altitude.

Touya stays quiet. He couldn't deny that he hadn't wondered in the past, what N's part was in Team Plasma. Everything had just seemed too seamlessly connected to be coincidence, and the very nature of N just _screamed_ suspicious, strange. "Okay." He shrugs.

"Okay?" N repeats, a hint of bewilderment in his eyes.

"What am I supposed to say?" Touya raises his hands, helplessly. "I'm sorry, I won't ever talk to you again?"

"I thought-something along those lines."

Touya sighs, readjusts his hat. "I don't agree with the way Team Plasma does things." He admits. "But I don't think you're like that."

"Besides," He continues, "I was fine with you before you told me this, so why should it change anything? You're the same person you were two minutes ago."

N stills, disbelief in his eyes. A slow smile spreads over his face. "Thank you."

Touya waves his hands dismissively, but he could feel it-something had changed.

"The ferris wheel is stopping now; please make sure to step out only when your car has come to a full stop!" An electronic voice crackles over their car's intercom.

N stands up (as much as he is able) and brushes off his pants with quick, efficient movements. Touya mimics him.

When they step out of their car, two Plasma members are waiting in their grey uniforms and long gloves. "My lord N!" One cries.

N turns to Touya, smile wistful. "Sorry, Touya." He takes out a pokeball. "I need to buy them time."

Touya mechanically mirrors him. They battle, but there is no passion in N's gaze, and Touya would be willing to bet his was the same.

N does well, taking down his Liepard and Herdier swiftly, but ultimately, it is Touya who has the upper hand, who holds out his hand for the money N slips in his palm.

"If you want to beat me," N starts, voice rehearsed, "If you want to stop me, collect all the gym badges and find me. You'll have to be the champion if you ever want to stop me."

"Hogwash." Touya manages, voice cracking. "It sounds like this is a game, or something."

N covers his mouth, smiling. "Might as well be."

"Well." He turns to leave, but Touya swiftly reaches out and snags his sleeve, face flaming as N turns to him questionably.

"Er." Touya starts, rubbing the back of his neck. "The night is young," he stutters, mentally chaisting himself. _Stupid, Stupid!_

"Would you-"

"Then, there's a festival over there." N points out, to the small cluster of shimmering lights. "You could go there for fun before you challenge the gym."

"No!" Touya bursts, taking a shaky step back as N looks at him, puzzled. Desperate, he exclaims, " _I wanted to ask if you would go with me!"_

"Oh." N pauses, each moment of silence twisting Touya's heart. Finally, Touya looks at his feet and mumbles, "Nevermind, I guess-"

"I don't see any downside." Touya whips his head up to look at N, disbelief in his eyes. N hesitantly smiles. "Why not?"

Touya's heart felt like it was going to burst out of his chest.

The walk to the festival is quiet, with N occasionally making sounds at their pokemon (who they let out to enjoy the air and festival). The smell of caramel apple and crystalized juji berries was growing stronger with every step, and Touya curses his stomach as it growls insistently.

N laughs softly. "You're hungry."

Touya weakly chuckles, embarrassed.

The sounds of conversation and trills of laughter raises above the multicoloured line of tents, all lit with the dreamlike strings of glimmering fairylights.

N's face noticeably lights up at the many booths and concessions, and Touya laughs softly at his excitement. "Where should we start?"

N hums, then points to a wooden booth that has a large bucket of water. They head towards the booth, where a old man smiles kindly at them. "Would you like to catch some Tympols?"

"Yes." Touya answers for N, who is already bending over the bucket, green hair spilling over his shoulders and almost brushing the water.

"500 yen, please." Touya pulls it out of his bag, handing it to the man and walking over to peer over N's shoulder.

"Touya!" N faces him, smiling. "The tympol over there says I can catch him!"

"Which tympol?" Touya squints.

"That one, in the corner!"

"It has a mole under its left eye," N supplies (helpfully).

Touya is too busy turning to receive a plastic bag and a scoop from the man, handing them to N. N takes them (ignoring the scoop) and instead carefully opens the bag under the water. A single tympol swims past the others to N's bag, curling in itself in apparent delight.

N is laughing, spinning around to beam at Touya, smile so warm and bright Touya felt like he would be drowned in it. The clear bag is clutched tightly in his hand, where the tympol is swimming and blowing bubbles.

"Look, Touya!" N cries, face flushed with excitement and cheeks shaded by the golden light of the paper lanterns surrounding them.

"Good job!" Touya grins, trying to keep the sudden lump down in his throat. "Will you keep him?"

N frowns, then turns to look at the tympol, murmuring.

"It says it would love to travel with me." He smiles. "I think we'll be friends."

"That you will." Touya's eyes drift off to a yakisoba stand nearby, where the savoury smell of vegtables drift. His stomach growls, sadly.

"Do you want to go there, next?" N cradles his tympol closely to his chest. Touya grins sheepishly. "That would be nice."

They walk over to the yakisoba stand.

"Two plates of yakisoba, please-"

"None for me." N shakes his head.

Touya turns to him, frowing. "Are you sure?"

"I'm not quite hungry at the moment." N smiles.

 _Ah._ Touya quickly turns around, face flushed from embarrassment. _Of course. N's a vegetarian._

Once he gets his plate, he tries to conceal from N, as if shielding his gaze would help. "Let's go over by the steps over there." N tugs Touya along to the stone steps arching over a hill, sitting down, barely brushing Touya's hip. The breath of touch is electric.

Touya slowly opens up his yakisoba, breaking his chopsticks with a crack that is barely audible in the festive noise. He scarfs it down, determinedly not looking at N.

N picks up a stone between his fingers and rubs it, blowing the dirt off. The moonlight is blocked by arching tree branches above them, but dappled light shines with diamond light across N's aristocratic features.

"Touya?" N waves a hand in front of his face, frowning. "Ah." Touya starts, quickly turning back to his food, finishing the last of it quickly.

Wiping his mouth, Touya throws his plate and chopsticks in the trash can. "Where else do you want to go?"

N brings his knees to his chest, clasping his hands around his legs. He smiles sweetly at Touya. "I'm fine with any place you want."

Touya has to turn away and remember that N is a _grown man_.

They go to a ring toss next, which N is _brilliant_ at (who knew the leader of Team Plasma had such a hidden talent) and wins a stuffed Snivy, which he happily gives to Touya's Servine. (Touya was loath to admit that he'd expected it to be given to him).

Touya has worse luck, but nevertheless wins a spicy poffin. He gives to N's Blitzel, who eats it happily.

They wander aimlessly around the festival for awhile, both trying their luck at different booths. Touya buys a candy apple for both him and N, and they both share it with their pokemon.

Finally, at the end of the parade of tents, there is a glistening lake layered within a circle of elms. A single boat is bobbing gently on the water, and a man is sitting at the booth. "Would you like to take the boat for a ride?" He asks, and Touya nods.

N climbs in gingerly, still holding on to his Tympole. The boat rocks under his weight. Touya climbs in on the other side, and the man places the rows in his hands.

After the rope is untethered, Touya sets the paddles in their shelf, and gives it a smooth push back. The sound of ripples is gentle and quiet, the sound of the festivals blocked by the wall of trees. N looks sideways and breathes in deeply. Touya does the same, letting the sweet smell of pine overwhelm his senses.

The moon was bright silver above them, reflecting off the glass water and throwing shards of dancing light into N's eyes. The superseding silence wrapped them in inexplicable comfort, and to his horror, Touya felt another lump rise in his throat.

"It's beautiful," Touya finally murmurs, voice wavering.

"If only the world was like this always." N is bent over the boat, fingers dragging in sterling silver moonlight. The reflection breaks with N's fingertips.

Touya looks away, rowing smoothly across the pond.

"Touya." Touya looks toward N, startled. N's face was inches from his.

The glow of the moonlight is all warm grey and molten silver in N's eyes, and Touya could smell the candid apple on his breath as N leaned forward slowly, until their noses were just barely brushing. "I love you," N says, and before Touya can process any of this, N's lips are on his.

Touya doesn't even want to think about what N thinks it means.

The kiss, dry and sweet, lasts for a few more seconds, and all too soon, N is pulling back, eyelashes a blur of silver as he smiles at him.

"...Yeah." Touya finally says. "Me too."

They return the boat and walk across the glittering tents, and at the edge of Nimbasa City, they face eachother. "I'll see you soon." N promises.

Touya nods, and only after N has walked out of his field of vision does he allow himself to turn.


End file.
